Assembly of elements supporting a bowling alley or the like



Nov. 4, 1969 D. B. CEPLUCH 3,475,337

ASSEMBLY OF ELEMENTS SUPPORTING A BOWLING ALLEY OR THE LIKE Filed May 31. 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR DALE B. CEPLUCH BY D. B. CEPLUCH ASSEMBLY OF ELEMENTS SUPPORTING A Nov. 4, 1969 BOWLING ALLEY OR THE LIKE Filed May 31, 1966 2 Sheets$heet 2 1C 8 a B um E M m D m United States Patent 3,476,387 ASSEMBLY OF ELEMENTS SUPPORTING A BOWLING ALLEY OR THE LIKE Dale B. Cepluch, 955 Millville Ave., Hamilton, Ohio 45013 Filed May 31, 1966, Ser. No. 553,903 Int. Cl. A6311 1/02 US. Cl. 273-51 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An assembly of elements adaptable for use in portable bowling alleys or the like comprising a hollow base supporting member on top of which a bowling alley section and a gutter means associated therewith are securely mounted. A retaining means such as a guard rail is secured to the outer side of such supporting member so that a ball rolling in the gutter means is retained between the alley and the guard rail. Leveling means may be mounted at the bottom of the base supporting member.

This invention relates to bowling alleys, and in particular, is directed to an assembly of knock-down supporting elements for a portable bowling alley or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide for a portable bowling alley readily assembled and disassembled by use of my invention.

Another object of this invention is to provide for an economical, lightweight, indoor and outdoor bowling alley easily adaptable for use on any level base or ground.

A further object of this invention is to provide for various natured playable bowling alley surfaces readily adapted to a bowling alley assembled with my knock-down supporting elements.

A further object of this invention is to provide for clearance under the alley supported by my invention whereby a conventional mechanical or other pin-spotting machinery can be set up with the alley for the purpose of resetting bowling pins.

Another object of this invention is to provide for a readily assembled bowling alley in which a non-absorbent, weatherproof and sound deadening playing surface can be, mounted.

A still further object of this invention is to provide for an outdoor bowling alley and its components all of which need not be enclosed or otherwise protected in the weather.

It is an object of this invention to provide for novel means for levelly supporting one or several sections of a complete bowling alley.

Another object of this invention is to provide for a bowling alley having novel supporting means therefor, facilitating rapid assembly and disassembly, and reduction in cost thereby.

These and other objects and advantages will be better understood and will become clearly apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the appended claims and accompanying drawing comprising two sheets illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, and in which drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the combination of elements in my invention, taken substantially on line 11 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an assembled bowling alley or portion thereof embodying my invention.

Referring now to the figures in which reference characters therein correspond to like characters hereinafter, character represents the entire assembly of my combination of elements a plurality of which support and level a bowling alley 11 (FIG. 2) comprising a section 12, or preferably, a plurality thereof. Each assembly 10 comprises a base supporting member 14 disposed below alley 11 and having a portion interiorly disposed of and its greatest portion extending transversely exteriorly of a lateral marginal area of alley 11 or section 12, as the case may be, adjusting means 16 disposed below and cooperating with each member 14 for leveling alley 11 or a section 12, means 18 securely attaching an alley section 12 to base member 14, guard means 20 generally vertically disposed of alley 11 and secured to base element 14, gutter means 22 mounted on support member 14 and between alley 11 and gutter means 22, and means 24 securing gutter means 22 in its mounted position on support member 14.

Each base supporting member 14 comprises an open ended hollow block made of sturdy, durable composition such as block concrete, plastic, wood, metal, or other suitable material. The blocks width (parallel to the alley) should be of such dimension that each half of the block underlying abutting sections 12 provides adequate area for mounting one or more means 18 therethrough as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Where the block constitutes a means 14a (FIG. 2) underlying abutting sections 12, a plurality of means 18 in each block 14a is provided to secure sections 12 in uniform flush abutting relationship. Where the block constitutes a means 14b (FIG. 2) disposed under and along the length of a single section 12, a single means 18 only is preferred. The length of member 14 (transversely of the alley) should be of such dimension that not only its interiorly extending .portion underlying alley 11 or each section 12 can accommodate a means 18, but its exterior portion extends sufficiently outwardly of the lateral marginal area of alley 11 or each section 12 to support and mount a gutter means 22 thereacross, as shown in FIG. 1. A plurality of support members 14 is utilized spacedly along each lateral marginal area of alley 11 as shown in FIG. 2.

Means 18 comprises preferably a fiat-headed machine screw countersunk into section 12, and extends therethrough and into the hollowness of means 14. A nut 30 is coupled to means 18 therein, against the underside of the top surface 32 of member 14, and it should now be apparent that the open-endedness of means 14 provides ready accessibility for securing such coupling.

Guard means 20 comprises a vertically disposed board of suflicient height and length to prevent or contain roll- 01f, scatter or trajectory of pins and ball from or within the areal confines of alley 11. Means 20, preferably a one-piece element for each section 12 and made of material such as fiberboard or Masonite, is secured to supporting members 14 by means of a cap screw and nut coupling 34. Means 20 is bolted to side 36 of a means 14 as shown in FIG. 1.

Gutter means 22 comprises a pair of spaced tracks 40, 42, each of such tracks being mounted on a plurality of support members 14, and extending in a parallel manner to and with the length of alley 11. Inclined surfaces i, ii are respectively provided in each track 40, 42 to provide a running avenue for a ball 44 projected off of alley 11, Tracks 40, 42 constituting gutter means 22 are securely fixed in their mounted position on support member 14 by means 24, preferably wood nails, as shown in FIG. 1. A plurality of means 24 attaches or afiixes track 40 between the longitudinal edge of each section 12 and support member 14, and a plurality of means 24 attaches track 42 to guard means 20. Preferably, track 40 remains secured to each section 12 and track 42 remains secured to each means 20 upon diassembly of bowling alley 11. However, means 22 may be fixedly secured to member 14 as well, if desired, by any suitable means.

Levelling means 16 is provided for alley 11 and each tion 56 of and to terminate within the hollowness of means 14. A pair of threaded nuts 58, coupled to shaft 54 on each side of portion 56, are provided for adjustment of the height of means 14 whereby means 14, and simultaneously alley 11, are raised or lowered for the purpose of leveling alley 11 after assembly of the elements of my invention.

ASSEMBLY Upon determining a suitable playing area, supporting means 14, with leveling means 16 preferably connected therewith, is spacedly set thereon, preferably in pairs with each means 14 in a pair opposing the other and set across a distance generally the transverse width of bowling alley 11, Each section 12 is then mounted on a plurality of support means 14a, 14b, and means 18 are utilized to securely connect a section or sections 12 to each means 14 or 14a, 14b, as the case may be. Thereafter, guard means 20 of suflicient height above alley 11 is se curely connected to each of a plurality of support means 14 with the aid of bolt and nut coupling 34 mounted to each means 14, and by so doing, simultaneously incorporating gutter means 22 into the assembly. Leveling means 16 is then adjusted to provide the desired level for alley 11.

The disassembling operation is readily discernible by reversing the steps for assembling described above.

Should it be desired, a suitable return means for ball 44, not shown, may be included with the alley set up, and, of course, a mechanical pin setter is readily adaptable at one end of alley 11 in accordance with known teachings in the art.

An additional feature is provided by a carpet means 60 that is suitably mounted on and supported by a section or sections 12 of alley 11. An all-purpose carpeting, such as the Tartan Brand manufactured by the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, Minnesota, and comprising synthetic fibers embedded permanently in a resilient, rubber-like backing, is highly suitable for use on alley 11, particularly when duck pin bowling is played thereon. However, it should be understood that play is capable on wooden or other material constituting sections 12 as well, and such material may be of a suitable nature known and utilized in the bowling alley art at the time this invention was made, In the event that, say, laminated wood is utilized as a rolling surface for a ball 44, counter-sunk means 18 may the covered with a suitable wood substitute whose surface .is milled flush, to..that 0f the laminated wood composing alley 10.

Pursuant to the requirements of the patent statutes, the principle of this invention has been explained and exemplified in a manner so that it can be readily practiced by those skilled in the art to which it pertains, such exemplification including what is presently considered to represent the best embodiment of the invention. However, it should be clearly understood that the above description and illustrations arefnot intended to unduly limit the scope of the appended claims, but that therefrom the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and exemplified herein, by those skilled in the art, and having the benefit of this disclosure.

Therefore, what I claim as patentably novel is:

1. A portable bowling alley assembly including a plurality of support means,

vertically extending guard means,

means for securing said guard means to atleast some of said support means,

at least one bowling alley section,

means for securing alley sections to each one of the support means in said plurality, and

gutter means extending along the alley of the assembly and mounted on support means in said plurality, said gutter means comprising a first track means afiixed to said guard means and a second track means afiixed to a longitudinal edge of at least some of the alley sections, 3 said gutter means disposed between alley sections and said guard means. i i

2. The assembly of claim 1 in which each of the support means in said plurality comprises an open {ended hollow block, said block having a dimension underlying the bowling alley section whereby said securing means connects the section to the block and having another dimension extending laterally outwardly from the section for mounting said gutter means thereon.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,782,849 11/1930 Hartman 273-51 1,859,284 5/1932 Blanchard et a1 273-51 1,921,734 8/1933 Dunlap 273-51 2,353,598 7/ 1 944 Somerville 273-5 1 3,263,996 8/1966 Braun. 3,330,521 7/1967 Whirlein 248358 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner MAX R. PAGE, Assistant Examiner 

